Sabres coach Bylsma explains the secret to knowing when Eichel will be at his best
Jack Eichel has been on fire lately for the Buffalo Sabres. The No. 2 overall pick of the 2015 NHL Draft has seven points in his last five games and ranks second in the NHL in scoring among rookies with 34 points (16 goals, 18 assists) in 50 games. That total puts him behind only Artemi Panarin of the Chicago Blackhawks -- who has 46 points in 53 games -- but Panarin is 24 years old, five years older than the 19-year-old Eichel.
Although Eichel is a newcomer to the NHL, coach Dan Bylsma told NHL.com recently that he figured out how to predict when Eichel will have a good game. That indicator doesn't come from Eichel's play on the ice.
Via NHL.com:
"[Eichel] can be engaged in the game vocally and that's really to me a big indicator of where he is on the ice," Bylsma said. "Doing it night in and night out is a challenge. Traveling and getting in at 5 in the morning is a challenge. It's a challenge for everybody, but a challenge for young guys that may not be accustomed to play this many games in this rapid succession. [Talking on the bench] translates into him skating. It translates into him using his feet."
Eichel's first NHL season has not always gone smoothly. The young forward has played all year under the spotlight a top draft pick always carries, and that spotlight is often focused solely on Eichel given that the No. 1 overall pick, Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers, has missed most of the season with a broken collarbone.
In early December, it seemed as if the pressure was getting to Eichel as the 19-year-old went five games without recording a point, his longest pointless stretch of his career so far. Bylsma said that stretch also marked a time when Eichel was not very talkative on the bench.
But ever since Eichel scored four points in a homecoming game against the Boston Bruins on Dec. 26, the rookie has been back to his talkative and productive self. Eichel is heading into the All-Star break on a high note, as he recorded two assists in a game against the New York Rangers Monday and followed that performance with a two-goal game against the Ottawa Senators Tuesday.
Tuesday night marked the eighth multi-point game for Eichel this season and the third multi-goal game for the 19-year-old. If he continues at this pace after the All-Star break, Eichel could be eyeing a possible spot as a Calder Trophy Finalist.
Arielle Aronson writes about the NHL for FOX Sports. You can follow her on Twitter @aharonson28.
